This invention relates broadly to the art of Gabion Systems.
More particularly the invention relates to a Gabion System incorporating wire grid works forming inter connected baskets.
More particularly the invention relates to a series of gabion baskets having separator walls defining chambers which may be filled with flat elements to impart structure and improved appearance to the exterior walls of the Gabion baskets.
Gabion Systems are containers or cages filled with ballast. They may have dividers or baffles or partitions to separate the area to be filled with hard durable material or ballast. Usually these cages are interconnected to retain earth and control soil erosion and floods.
The common feature for most Gabion Systems is a basket filled with rocks. The basket serves to hold the rocks in place and the combination of the basket and rock serves as a means for preventing erosion or as a liner for various purposes.
Gabion Systems are substituted commonly for concrete facings and are superior in some respects because the Gabion System acts as a natural filter as opposed to a barrier. Gabion Systems may improve drainage and provide related benefits.
Gabions may be made of steel wire (of square, rectangular, hexagonal or other shaped mesh. Different types of wire include galvanized steel, PVC coated, galfan steel and stainless steel wire. The baskets may also be made of plastic.
The most common types of filler or ballast are crushed stone or gravel. Other materials are slag or broken concrete. The main property of ballast is that the material be of sufficient weight to act as ballast. Because of the great weight of the fill material or ballast, and the methods of dumping fill, the installer invariably deforms the gabion basket and creates unsightly and aesthetically displeasing appearances. In extreme cases this deformation can cause structural failure.
Gabion installation is typically labor intensive compared to certain concrete construction. The installer often puts in extensive labor to accommodate individual stones to reduce bulging and to maximize appearance. Even when labor is used in this fashion, the rock and wire look may be unacceptable.
Concrete facings in many situations provide a construction surface that may be useful. A major problem with concrete is the expense of this type of system versus a Gabion System as well as maintenance problems associated with the cracking and breaking of the concrete. Maintenance of such a system is also expensive and difficult. Gabion Systems are typically 40% less expensive than concrete walls and may be put in wet versus having to dry an area for concrete.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,735 Hilficker discloses a Gabion basket having panels joined at intervals disposed at an angle relative to one another and joined edge to edge to define baskets between panels. Large cast concrete facings which are bolted to the gabion basket are used to cover the remainder of the wall. Hilficker shows that the gabion rocks may be covered using a solid facing of the type present in pre-cast concrete barriers which does not otherwise improve the function of the traditional gabion basket covered. This barrier is put in place after the ballast is added to the baskets. Also, these barriers do not maintain the draining properties of the gabion system. U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,743 to Bartur shows a mantle of Gabions used with a water repellant sheet of plastic. U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,9242 Zaccheroni also teaches connecting diaphragms to the gabion's base. These interior partitions are to compartmentalize the gabion. The partitions reduce shifting of the ballast within the interior of the gabion basket. U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,124 to Egan reveals a Gabion made from a grid of rigid rods welded together and shaped to define the basket that may be in lattice work and provide inner partitions.
In each of these prior art patents, the interior compartments are filled with rocks or ballast such as dirt consistent with ancient gabion technology. These compartments are not filled with support systems, nor is an integral mechanism for improving the appearance of the gabion disclosed. The present invention serves to address the improvement of the gabion system without external concrete covers while providing support to the gabion basket at the front face while the basket is filled.